Portable steam puff irons



Dee.y 29 E964 R; r..L McrNn-YRE PORMBLEvl STEM/r PUF-F Ila-@Ns Fled May! 24'-, T962:

FIG. 4

ROY L. MC INTYRE INV 0R.

ATTORNEY.

Frs:

United States Patent M' M2364 PGRTABLE STEAM PUFF ERNS Roy L. Mclntyre, Lake Grove, reg. (Rte. l, Box 640, West Linn, Greg.) Filed May 24, 1962, Ser. No. 197,335 1t? Claims. (El. .3S-99) My invention relates to portable electric steam puff irons which embody a water reservoir and a simple, effective means for applying and controlling water from its reservoir to the heating element to generate steam during the operation of the puff iron.

One object of my invention, therefore, is to provide a simple, eifective portable electric steam puff iron which contains its own water reservoir and embodies means for applying and controlling the supply of water to its heating element.

Another object of my invention is to provide a portable electric steam puff iron incorporating simple means for diverting water from its reservoir to the top surface of its electric element, which means is also etfective to control the generation of steam in the puff iron.

A further object of my invention is to provide a portable electric steam puff iron which utilizes low pressure steam, which will be simple and convenient to operate and which is capable of effective home or comercial use.

Other and further objects of my invention will be apparent from the drawings, specification and claims herein.

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. l is a side elevation of my portable electric steam puff iron, with portions thereof broken away, showing details of the iron head, the water distributing and supply elements, the heating unit, the reservoir and the control means, including the controlling check valves, for applying water to the elements.

FG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view, with portions thereof broken away, showing an alternative arrangement for the standard, check valves, and water supply elenients of the puff iron.

FG. 3 is a top plan view of the head portion of the puff iron, with portions thereof broken away, showing the steam vent holes, the water distributor and water supply line, and the electrical resistance wires of the heating element.

FlG. 4 is a fragmentary end elevation view showing the rear of the pu iron head.

Referring further to the drawings:

The base l@ is a closed tank, preferably water-tight and polyhedronal in shape. A fill pipe li is positioned on the top surface of the base il@ near one end thereof and is provided with a cap 12. A water supply pipe 13 is disposed through the top surface of the base tank l@ in spaced relation to the ll pipe il and extends vertically from within said tank through the interior of a standard 14 which is disposed on the top surface of the base lll and supports the lower portion l of a puff iron head. The lower end i3 of water supply pipe picks up water, and its upper end discharges it. The water supply pipe 13 passes through an opening in an encased heating element i6, which is preferably thermostatically controlled, and terminates above said heatin7 element in a water distributor 17 which may be a splash shield, distributor pipe or any other suitable means for dispersing the water onto the upper surface of the heating element le and which may be either a separate element or integral with said water supply pipe i3. The water supply pipe makes a sutliciently snug lit with the opening through the heating element 16 so that the collar i8, whether a separate element or the base portion of the water distributor, will effect a water-tight seal between the heating element. It' necessary, any suitable gasket may be employed in eecting the water-tight seal.

lhh Patented Dec. 29, 1964 The upper portion 19 of the puff iron head is compleentary to the lower portion and may besecured to the lower portion by screws i9 and i9",'complementary slots and lips, a combination thereof, or any other suitable arrangement. A plurality of steam vent holes Ztl through the upper surface of the puit iron head provides means for supplying steam generated within the head to articles being ironed. Electric supply wires 2l and 22 attach to the encased heating element 16 and supply a ow of electric current from a source of electricity to the resistant wires23 encased within the heating element 16. The supply wires 2i and 22 pass from the heating element through the interior of the standard i4 and emerge through an opening .114 at the lower end of said standard.

A feed line 2d intersects the water supply pipe 13 near its lower end i3 and within the base tank 10. An intake check valve T5 is positioned, within base it), in the water supply pipe i3 between its lower end i3 and the point of intersection with the feed line 24. The check valve 25 will allow water to pass from the interior of the base tank lo but will not allow it to re-enter said tank. Also, an outlet check valve 26 is positioned in the water supply pipe i3 above the point of intersection with the feed line 24 and the water distributor t7 at the upper end of said supply pipe. The check valve 26 will allow water to pass from the feed line Zd and the lower portion of the supply pipe i3 through the upper portions of the supply pipe and out its upper end so as to be dispersed by the water distributor i7 onto the top surface of heating element 16. Check valve 26, however, will not' allow water to go back into the tank l@ or the feed line 24. The supply hose 27 forms a watertight joint with the outer end of the feed line 24'- outside base lo. The other end of supply hose 27 effects a water-tight joint with a source of suctionpressure 23, such as a pedally operated pump creating suction and pressure alternately, etc. rl`he element 28 may be of any suitable design or arrangement so long as it will alternately create suction and pressure in drawing water from the pullC iron base l@ and feeding it through the water supply pipe 13. rl`he preferred embodiment of the element 28 is a closed, hermispheric ball 28' of pliable and deformable material, such as rubber or plastic, set in a rigid base member 2S to which the supply hoser27 is attached.

A variation of the putf iron standard base tank and water supply pipe, feed line and check valve arrangement is shown in PEG. 2 of the drawings. In this version the tank 3i? is also water-tight and provided with till pipe means. The tank Siti is disposed upon a base skirt 3l which is enclosed on the sides and open on the bottom. The standard 32 passes clear through the tank Sii from top to bottom and is sealed at its flange 32 to the under surface of the tank bottom 34B', thereby forming an open passageway through the base skirt 31 to the heating element 16. A water supply pipe 33 is disposed within the standard 32 and is intersected at its ylowermost end by a water feed line 3d which extends out through an opening in one side of the base skirt 3l. A water pick-up 36 extends into the interior of the tank El@ through the bottom 30' and is attached to a check Valve 35 which in turn is attached to the water feed line 3d at a point between the water supply pipe 33 and the water pick-'up 36. The check valve 35 will allow water to enter the -feed line 34 from the interior of the tank 3ft? through the pick-up 36 but will not allow water to back up into the tank 30. A second check valve 37 is positioned in the water supply pipe 33 between its juncture with the feed line 3d and the-encased heating element lo, preferably at a point near the bottom of the standard 32. The check valve 37 will allow water to pass upwardly through `the supply pipe 33 but will not allow it to back up into the lower 'portion of the water supply pipe 33 or the feed line 34. This alternative arrangement of my improved puff iron enables i easy access to all of the working parts thereof, such as the check valves 35 and 37, the'water supply pipe 33, the feed line 34 and the pick-up 36, so that in the event ,of Vfailure the critical parts can be readily replaced or repaired.

In the operation of my device the base tank 1t) or 31B, as the case may be, is partially filled with water through the till pipe l1; and the electric service Wires 2i and 22 are connected to a source of electric power. The suction-pressure pump 28 is then operated pedally by alternately stepping on the pliable, hemispheric ball portion and releasing same, thereby rst causing the air to be exhausted from the suction-pressure pump and then causing Water from the base tank to be drawn through the lfirst Check valve into the feed line, through the supplyV hose 27 and into the suction-pressure pump 2S. VAfter all air has been exhausted from the suction-pressure pump and after the same has filled with Water, continued pedal pumping of the pliable, hemispheric portion thereof will force water through the second check valvee or 37, as the case may be, up through the water supply pipe 13 or 33 and against the distributor head i7 which disperses Vthe water onto the upper surface of the heating element 16. As long as the pumping action is continued on the suction-pressure pump, Water will be drawn into the same from the tank, t-hen forced up through the second check valve into the Water supply pipe i3 or .33, and distributed on the heating element through dispersion by the distributor head 17. Due to the arrangement and action of the At-wo check valves in both disclosed versions of my device,

water cannot be forced back into the tank nor can it escape from the Vwater supply pipe at points abovethe second check valve unless it is forced out of the upper end thereof. It is, therefore, apparent that as along as the pumping action is continued water will be dispersed onto the heating element i6 and steam will be generated. When the pumping action is stopped, the generation of steam will cease almost instantly.

In the event it becomes necessary to remove or replace the upper portion i9 of the puff iron head or to replace the heating elementfl, the head is easily disassembled by removing the cap screws i9 and 19 and disengaging the front 'portion of the head from the lower portion 1S and from the encased heating element 16. Also, in the version disclosed in FIG. 2 the check valves and various water pick-up, supply pipes and feed lines are readily accessible through the open top and bottom ofthe base skirt 31 and the open lower end of the standard 32. rihis arrangement enables easy accessibility to all critical portions of this invention.

It is to be understood that the disclosed versions of my device are merely preferred embodiments thereof and that many variations from the preferred embodiments are feasible without departing from the scope and spirit of my invention as disclosed and claimed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A portable, steam pud iron consisting of: a base tank; a water supply pipe with a pick-up end and a discharge end, having its pick-up end disposed within said tank; a Water feed line intersecting said Water supply pipe at a point within said tank; an intake check valve disposed in said water supply pipe between the pick-up end thereof and the water feed line intersection; an out let check valve disposed in said water supply pipe between its discharge end and said water feed line intersection; a water distributordisposed at the discharge end of said water supply pipe; a putf ironhead, provided with a piurality of steam vent holes through the upper-portion thereof, encasing said water distributor; an electrical heating element, encircling said water supply pipe below said water distributor, disposed Within said puit iron head; a

Vstandard secured on said base tank ksupporting said puff iron head and encasing said water supply pipe; and means providing alternate suction and pressure to the end of said water feed line opposite from the end intersecting with said water supply pipe, thereby drawing water from said base tank through said intake check valve and passing it through said outlet checkV valve and the discharge end of said Water supply pipe.

2. A portable, steam pui iron consisting of a base tank,

va Water supply pipe with a pickup end and a discharge /ater distributor, and an electrical heating element, en-

circling said water supply pipe below said Water distributor, disposed within said puff iron head, thereby drawing Water from said base tank through said pick-up end of said Water supply pipe and said intake check valve, passing it through said outlet check valve and said discharge end of said Water supply pipe into said water distributor and disbursing it upon said heating element during operation of said means providing alternate pressure and suction.

3. A portable, steam putt` iron consisting of: a tank; a Water supply pipe; a water feedline intersecting outside of said tank with one end of said water supply pipe; a water distributor disposed at the other end of said Water supply pipe; a Water pick-up extending into said tank;

an intake check valve disposed between said water pick-up and the intersection of said water fd line and said Water supply pipe; an outlet check valve disposed between said water supplyV pipe and water feed line intersection and said water distributor; an electric heating element encircling said Water supply pipe below said water distributor;

check valve and passing it through said'outlet check valve v to discharge upon said electric heating element.

4. A portable, steam pullc iro-n consisting of a tank, a water supply pipe, means providing alternate pressure and suction intersecting with one end of said water supply pipe, a water distributor disposed at the other end of said Water supply pipe, a water pick-up extended into said tank,

an intake check valve disposed between said water pick-up and the intersection of said pressure and suction means with said water supply pipe, and an outlet check valve disposed in said water supply pipe beyond said intersection with said pressure and suction means, thereby drawing water from said tank through said intake check valve and passing it through said outlet check valve to said water distributor.

5. A portable steam puff iron consisting of: a tank; a water supply pipe; a water feed line intersecting said water supply pipe; a water distributor disposed on said water supply pipe and spaced apart from said water feed line intersection therewith; :water pick-up means disposed in said tank at the end of saidV water supply pipe opposite from said water distributor; an intake check valve and an outlet check valve disposed in spaced relation between said water pick-up means and said water distributor, one between said water pick-up means and said intersection and the other between said intersection and said Water distributor; an electric heating element disposed below said water distributor; a perforated head encasing said water distributor and said heating element; and means providing alternate pressure and suction connected to the end of said water feed line opposite from the end intersecting with said water supply line thereby drawing water from said tank through said intake check valve on suction and passing it through said outlet check valve on pressure t0 said Water distributor and said electric heating element.

6. A portable steam puff iron consisting of: a water tank; a water distributor; a water supply line extending from said tank at one end to said water distributor at its other end; an intake check valve and an outlet check valve disposed in spaced relation in said water supply line; a feed line intersecting at one of its ends with said water supply line at a point between said intake and said outlet check valves; a heating element disposed around said water supply line at a point near said water distributor; a perforated head encasing said water distributor and said heating element; and means providing al-ternate pressure and suction connected to the other end of said water feed line, thereby drawing water from said water tank through said intake check valve during suction and passing it through said outlet check valve during pressure to said water distributor and said heating element.

7. A portable steam pu iron consisting of: a water tank; a water distributor; a water supply line extending from said tank at one end to said water distributor at its other end; an intake check valve and an outlet check valve disposed in spaced relation in said water supply line; a heating element disposed around said water supply line at a point near said water distributor; a perforated head encasing said water distributor and said heating element; and means providing alternate pressure and suction connected between said intake and said outlet check Valves, thereby pressing water from said pressure-suction means through said outlet check valve and said Water distributor to said heating element on pressure and alternately drawing water from said water tank into said pressure-suction means through said intake check Valve on suction.

8. A portable steam puff iron consisting of: a water tank; a water supply line extending upwardly from said tank; water discharge means at the upper end of said water supply line; water pick-up means disposed at the lower end of said water supply line; an intake check valve and an outlet check valve disposed in spaced relation in said water supply line; heating means disposed below said water discharge means; a head, perforated on its upper surface, encasing said water discharge means and said heating means; and means providing alternate pressure and suction connected between said inlet and said outlet check Valves, thereby pressing water through said outlet check valve to said water distributor and said heating element on pressure and alternately drawing water from said water tank through said intake check valve on suction.

9. In a portable steam pui iron consisting of a liquid tank, a liquid supply line extending upwardly from said tank, liquid discharge means at the upper end of said liquid supply line, liquid pick-up means disposed at the lower end of said liquid supply line, heating means disposed below said liquid vdischarge means and a head perforated on its upper surface encasing said liquid discharge means and said heating means: an intake check valve and an outlet check valve disposed in spaced relation in a said liquid supply line; and means providing alternate pressure and suction connected between said intake and said outlet check valves, thereby pressing liquid from a tank through said outlet check valve on pressure and alternately drawing liquid from said tank through said intake check Valve on suction.

10. A steam pufr" iron consisting of liquid retaining means, supply means extending from said liquid retaining means, distributing means at the opposite end of said supply means from said liquid retaining means, heating means disposed near said distributing means, means with perforations therethrough encasing said distributing means and said heating means, means intaking liquid and means outletting liquid disposed in spaced relation in said supply means, and means alternately sucking in liquid from said liquid retaining means through said intaking means and then pressing it out through said outletting means to discharge through said distributing means upon said heating means, thereby forming a vapor and emitting said vapor through said perforations in said encasing means.

References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 154,149 8/74 Paget 103-148 186,741 1/77 Maas et al. 103-148 1,552,379 1/ 25 Martens 38-99 2,501,747 3/50 Stovers 38-99 2,606,434 8/52 Habes 68-6 2,782,537 2/57 Ver-Gege 38-77 3,029,535 4/ 62 Clearman et al. 38-14 3,041,758 7/ 62 McIntyre 38-99 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner. DAVID I. WILLIAMOWSKY, Examiner. 

1. A PORTABLE, STEAM PUFF IRON CONSISTING OF: A BASE TANK; A WATER SUPPLY PIPE WITH A PICK-UP END AND A DISCHARGE END, HAVING ITS PICK-UP END DISPOSED WITHIN SAID TANK; A WATER FEED LINE INTERSECTING SAID WATER SUPPLY PIPE AT A POINT WITHIN SAID TANK; AN INTAKE CHECK VALVE DISPOSED IN SAID WATER SUPPLY PIPE BETWEEN THE PICK-UP END THEREOF AND THE WATER FEED LINE INTERSECTION; AN OUTLET CHECK VALVE DISPOSED IN SAID WATER SUPPLY PIPE BETWEEN ITS DISCHARGE END AND SAID WATER FEED LINE INTERSECTION; A WATER DISTRIBUTOR DISPOSED AT THE DISCHARGE END OF SAID WATER SUPPLY PIPE; A PUFF IRON HEAD, PROVIDED WITH A PLURALITY OF STEAM VENT HOLES THROUGH THE UPPER PORTION THEREOF, ENCASING SAID WATER DISTRIBUTOR; AN ELECTRICAL HEATING ELEMENT, ENCIRCLING SAID WATER SUPPLY PIPE BELOW SAID WATER DISTRIBUTOR, DISPOSED WITHIN SAID PUFF IRON HEAD; A STANDARD SECURED ON SAID BASE TANK SUPPORTING SAID PUFF IRON HEAD AND ENCASING SAID WATER SUPPLY PIPE; AND MEANS PROVIDING ALTERNATE SUCTION AND PRESSURE TO THE END OF SAID WATER FEED LINE OPPOSITE FROM THE END INTERSECTING WITH SAID WATER SUPPLY PIPE, THEREBY DRAWING WATER FROM SAID BASE TANK THROUGH SAID INTAKE CHECK VALVE AND PASSING IT THROUGH SAID OUTLET CHECK VALVE AND THE DISCHARGE END OF SAID WATER SUPPLY PIPE. 